Posts Tagged prostitution

Canada’s conservative government is poised to pass a bill which would criminalize sex work. But a new national study disproves many of the paternalistic stereotypes and assumptions behind the legislation.

Canada’s conservative government is poised to pass a bill which would criminalize sex work. But a new national study disproves many of the paternalistic stereotypes and assumptions behind the legislation.

For years, the United States has endorsed an explicitly discriminatory policy against sex workers. PEPFAR, our international HIV/AIDS aid policy, contains an anti-prostitution pledge requirement stating that no funds “may be used to provide assistance to any group or organization that does not have a policy explicitly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking.” In practice, this means that life-saving materials like condoms, contraceptives, and even information about sex and sexuality can’t legally be distributed to sex workers by any international agencies that accept US funding. Domestic agencies have to make no such pledge, although prostitution is obviously not legal in most of the US.

This, despite the fact that female sex workers are the ones who could most benefit from ...

For years, the United States has endorsed an explicitly discriminatory policy against sex workers. PEPFAR, our international HIV/AIDS aid policy, contains an anti-prostitution pledge requirement stating that no funds “may be used to provide assistance ...

In four of the nation’s major cities—New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco—police stop, search, and arrest sex workers using condoms as evidence to support prostitution charges. For many sex workers, particularly transgender women, arrest means facing degrading treatment and abuse at the hands of the police. For immigrants, ...

The Secret Service debacle has been politicized, sensationalized and commodified. Spirit Airlines has launched a “more bang for your buck” ad, with an “upfront payment is required” warning. The Republicans have made it an Obama issue, the president is angry and the press has covered it as a salacious scandal. Meanwhile, neither the politicians nor the press have covered the real transgression. This was not about U.S. government workers paying for sex; this was about refusing to pay for it. In Colombia’s “tolerance zones,” the sex trade is legal. And yet, a U.S. citizen and government worker thought it was all right to break the law by giving a sex worker $30, less than a twentieth ...

The Secret Service debacle has been politicized, sensationalized and commodified. Spirit Airlines has launched a “more bang for your buck” ad, with an “upfront payment is required” warning. The Republicans have made it an Obama ...

This weekend, Craigslist censored the Adult Services section of their site.

The move comes after immense and growing public pressure from a number of critics and opponents, including some law enforcement officials, anti-trafficking groups, and most notably (and perhaps threateningly) Connecticut state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. It also comes in the wake of the highly publicized so-called “Craigslist killer” case, in which a Boston University medical student allegedly hired a prostitute via the site and went on a murderous crime and gambling spree, later committing suicide in jail.

Lots of people are offering their opinions on this latest event, and- surprise, surprise- there’s a ton of misinformation floating around regarding adult services, what they are, why they were censored, and who it will ...

This weekend, Craigslist censored the Adult Services section of their site.

The move comes after immense and growing public pressure from a number of critics and opponents, including some law enforcement officials, anti-trafficking groups, and most notably (and ...